I'm Sorry

Guilt can tear you apart.
Teeth gnashing against flesh,
ripping through whatever paltry excuses you can come up with.

It’s even worse,
when guilt is thrown onto you.
A heavy shawl that presses against your shoulders and back,
with hunching weight.
From the true owner,
who refuses to accept responsibility for their creation.
After all,
it looks better on you.
And it helps,
that when it was hurled upon you,
you were too young to understand that it was a burden.

Years later,
you still question every interaction.
How much of the hurts of the world are your fault?
Everything you say can be misconstrued,
taken as hurtful,
intentionally or not.
So most times, you don’t say anything at all.
Just sit there silently,
while everyone else talks.
Better to be safe than sorry.